Gas Turbine Cooling Air Particle Separation Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbines face issues with dirt particles in the compressor discharge air clogging cooling air bores, leading to inadequate cooling of turbine blades, which can result in reduced service life and availability.
Innovation Solution
A radially positioned, ring-shaped separating plate is integrated into the gas turbine, firmly connected to the turbine-side housing, which covers the extraction openings for cooling air, preventing dirt particles from entering and ensuring cleaner cooling air by deflecting them away from the inlet openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If filter tubes are arranged inside the gas turbine for particle separation, then the cleanliness of cooling air is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the particle separation function from the internal cooling system and places it externally at the compressor outlet. The separating plate is positioned in the compressor discharge air flow path, extracting harmful particles before the air enters the turbine cooling system, thereby avoiding the need for complex internal filter tubes while achieving the same protective effect
Solution Approach 2:
The separating plate acts as an intermediary element between the compressor discharge air and the turbine cooling system. It mediates the particle separation process by creating a physical barrier that deflects particles away from the cooling air extraction openings, allowing clean air to pass through while blocking contaminated particles
2Object-affected harmful factors
If metal sheets are attached to the compressor outlet for particle deflection, then particle removal is improved, but the dirt removal rate remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional flat metal sheets to a three-dimensional annular separating plate structure that extends radially and axially. This multi-dimensional configuration creates overlapping deflection zones that completely cover the cooling air extraction openings, ensuring that particles are blocked from all angles and significantly improving the reliability of particle removal
Solution Approach 2:
The separating plate is designed as an annular structure with specific radial and axial dimensions that segment the airflow path. The plate creates distinct zones: a deflected flow region above the plate and a clean air extraction region below it, ensuring complete separation of particle-laden air from the cooling air intake
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective element protrudes axially into the cavity to block particles, then particle separation is improved, but the cooling efficiency of the combustion chamber may be impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The separating plate is positioned locally at the cooling air extraction openings rather than spanning the entire combustion chamber. This localized placement ensures that only the specific area where cooling air is extracted is protected from particles, while the rest of the combustion chamber maintains its normal cooling airflow patterns, thus avoiding impairment of overall cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by using a separating plate that covers only the necessary area around the cooling air extraction openings. The plate dimensions are optimized to provide sufficient particle protection while minimizing interference with the main combustion chamber cooling flows, achieving the right balance between particle blocking and cooling efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution significantly reduces the presence of harmful particles in the cooling air, preventing clogging and ensuring long-term damage-free cooling of turbine components, thereby increasing their service life and the gas turbine's availability.
Implementation Method 1
the deflection of the compressor discharge air flow occurring in the cavity has not resulted in any impairment of the cooling of the air-cooled combustion chamber
Implementation Method 2
a protective element for dirt particle separation is provided radially further to the outside adjacent to the removal opening, which makes it difficult for particles suspended in the compressor discharge air to flow into the removal opening
Implementation Method 3
The inclination of the protective element is selected in such a way that its free end, which faces the compressor, is higher than its fixed end, which faces the turbine. Accordingly, a particle trap for dirt particles suspended in the compressor discharge air is formed in the upper half of the gas turbine
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a gas turbine (10) having air cooling. The invention provides an effective measure for cleaning cooling air which is used in the turbine (30), which measure is particularly efficient. In order to allow comparatively pure, that is to say particle-free, compressed cooling air to flow into the cooling-channel system (58) of the turbine (30), it is proposed that a protective element (60) is provided for particle separation in a manner which is adjacent radially further to the outside to the removal opening (54, 55), which protective element (60) impedes particles which float in the compressor final air from flowing into the removal opening (54, 55). As a result, the clogging of cooling-air holes in impact-cooled turbine components which are loaded by hot gas can be avoided.